Envelop-fastening.



No. 659,634. Patented Uct. I6, 1900.. C. W. ALLEN.

ENVELOP FASTENING.

(Aplilicnton Bled Feb. 8, 1900.)

Nrr'n STATES ATENT OFFICE. v

ENVELOP-FASTENING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 659,634, dated October 16, 1900.

Application filed February 8, 1900. Serial No. 4,447. (No model.)

To CLZZ whom, t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. ALLEN, a citizen of Great Britain, and a resident of Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelop Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a sealing device for en velops and similar articles, which closes the same in such a positive manner that the envelop must be destroyed or torn before access to its contents can be obtained. Thus any tampering with the envelop will be at once Adetected and pilfering will be effectively prevented.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a perspective View of the male part of the fastening; Fig. 2, a similar view of the female part; Fig. 3, a side view of the male part, showing it attached to the closing-flap of an envelop; Fig. 4, a similar view of the female part, showing it attached to the front of the envelop; Fig. 5, a side View of the fastening, showing it closed; and Fig. 6, a perspecti ve view ot' an envelop provided with the fastenin The fastening is composed, essentially, of a male and a female part which are adapted to be interlocked. The male part consists of an upper plate or disk a, from which projects a solid stud a", formed of soft metal or equivalent plastic material. In order to attach the plate a to the envelop, &c., it is provided with a pair of prongs e201' similar fasteners, that are shown to project from the same face ot' the plate which carries the stud a. The stud is inserted through a perforation formed in the closing-flap A of an envelop, bag, or

, similar article, and the prongs are at the same time thrust through said flap and are then upset to securely attach the plate to the flap.

The female part of the fastener is composed of a lower base-plate b, struck up to form aa chamber b, which is perforated, as at b2, and should be somewhat lower than the stud c. The upper side of the chamber b should be of substantially the same diameter as the upper plate c, so that an even bearing is furnished forthe latter when the stud is upset Y or expanded.

In order to secure the baseplate b to the envelop, itis provided with fastening-prongs b3, formed by slitting the baseplate and turning up the metal thus partly detached. The female part is secured to the inner side of the front A of an envelop, 65o., which is perforated, as at A2, above the perforation b2, so as to permit the free introduction of the stud a into the chamber b.

In use the flap of the filled envelop is closed and the stud introduced into the chamber. The envelop is then placed upon a slab or other supporting-surface, and by the blow of a hammer upon the plate a the lower end of stud d will be upset or expanded within the chamber b', so as to securely interlock the parts. The upsetting device may, if desired, consist of a suitable die or seal, so that while the stud is expanded the plate a is simultaneously embossed.

l/Vhat I claim isl. A fastening device for envelops and similar articles composed of an upper plate having a solid soft-metal stud, combined with a lower plate having a perforated chamber adapted to receive said stud and permit its expansion within the chamber, substantially as specified. .s

2. A fastening device for envelops and similar articles composed of an upper plate having a solid soft-metal stud, combined with a lower plate slitted to form fastening-prongs, and having a chamber adapted to. receive said stud and permit its expansion within the chamber, substantially as specified.

3. Afasteningdeviceforenvelopsandsimilar articles composed of an upper plate having a solid soft-metal stud and fasteningprongs, combined with a lower plate slitted to form fastening-prongs, and havinga chamber adapted to receive said stud and permit its expansion within the chamber, substantially as specified.

Signed by me at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, this 2d day of February, 1900.

CHARLES W. ALLEN. Witnesses:

CoNsTANoE S. FAtrEs, C. M. BARLow. 

